silver

sil|ver¹ S3 [ˈsılvə US -ər] n

[: Old English; Origin: seolfor]

1.) [U]

a valuable shiny, light grey metal that is used to make jewellery, knives, coins etc. It is a chemical ↑element : symbol Ag

▪ a silver necklace

▪ cups made of solid silver

2.) [U]

spoons, forks, dishes etc that are made of silver

= ↑silverware

▪ It was my job to polish the silver .

3.) [U and C]

the colour of silver

▪ The lake sparkled with shades of blue and silver.

▪ This season's colours are rich golds and elegant silvers.

4.) [U and C] informal

a ↑silver medal

▪ He won a silver at the last Olympics.

5.) [U] BrE

coins that contain silver or are the colour of silver

▪ He put his hand into his pocket and brought out a handful of silver.

silver ²

silver² adj

1.) made of silver

▪ a silver teapot

▪ a silver coin

▪ a solid silver brooch

2.) having the colour of silver

▪ an old man with silver hair

3.) on a silver platter

if something is given to you on a silver platter, you do not have to make any effort to get it

▪ He had a scholarship handed to him on a silver platter.

4.) silver bullet

AmE something that solves a difficult problem very quickly and easily

▪ There is no silver bullet for this problem.

→be born with a silver spoon in your mouth at ↑born² (8), every cloud has a silver lining at ↑cloud¹ (6)

silver ³

silver³ v [T]

1.) technical to cover a surface with a thin shiny layer of silver or another metal in order to make a mirror

2.) literary to make something shine and look the colour of silver

▪ The farmhouse appeared, silvered by the moon.